BlackBerry supply chain issues affecting sales?

According to Forbes, Canaccord Genuity analyst T. Michael Walkley lowered his estimates on BlackBerry citing mixed Z10 sales and supply chain issues. It looks like demand for BlackBerry 10 might be soft, and even where it is hot BlackBerry is having trouble getting enough product.

“Our global surveys post the recent BlackBerry Z10 launch indicated mixed initial sales with limited initial supply cited as the reason for early post-launch stock-outs at some carrier stores rather than overwhelming demand,” the analyst writes in a research note. “Our follow-up checks have indicated steady but modest sales levels. With new BB10 smartphones launching in the U.S. only in mid-March or later at subsidized prices no better than competing high-end Apple/Samsung smartphones, combined with our expectations for the Galaxy S IV to launch at a similar time frame in the U.S. market, we are lowering our BB10 sales estimates for the February quarter and all of F2014.”

Walkley originally predicted 1.75 million sales in the February quarter, but has now said he expects 300,000. That's a big drop and I hope BlackBerry can solve this problem.